This application claims the priority of German patent document 100 08 915.1, filed Feb. 25, 2000, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a load drop platform for damping impact forces exerted on a load during a parachute drop from an aircraft.
Known load drop platforms of this type have a plate to which the load to be dropped (for example, a land vehicle) is securely clamped, and a plurality of damping elements is fitted between the load and the plate. During the impact of the plate with the load, the damping element are irreversibly compressed because of the weight and the inertia force.
One disadvantage of such known load drop platforms is that, at points at which the load rests on the plate, the damping elements must be mechanically locked in place between the plate and the load in order to absorb directly the forces acting at the time of the impact of the load drop platform on the ground, and to prevent the load from having unfavorable clearance of motion on the plate. Another disadvantage is that the damping elements cannot be reused. In addition, it is also a disadvantage that the achievable damping depends on the shape of the load to be mounted on the plate. As a result, the achieved damping during the impact of the pallet on the ground cannot be predicted sufficiently precisely, so that unnecessarily high damping expenditures are required to ensure sufficient safety.
One object of the invention is to provide a single, reusable load drop platform for damping loads during a load drop.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the load drop platform according to the invention, which has a damping mechanism that ensures that sensitive loads can also land without being damaged. The load drop platform can be easily manipulated after the landing, so that the load can easily be removed from the platform. It is another advantage that the load depositing platform according to the invention can be reused.
The load drop platform according to the invention has an upper plate that is connected with at least one parachute and a lower plate. The upper plate and the lower plate are connected with one another by means of a scissor-type linkage, and by at least one damper element having a woven-fabric shell which defines an interior air space therein, so that relative motion of the two plates toward each other causes a compression of the air space. The damper element has a passage ring, which has at least one air passage hole therein which permits a regulated flow of air into and out of the interior air space.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.